Editing hints
The purpose of this document is to provide a reminder of methods used to remedy editorial criticisms.
The FIRST THING YOU MUST DO before editing your work is to read three or four books of the same style of writing. Of the same type as the book you’re writing. This will imprint into your head the grammar, the style, transitions, etc. Don’t read adult books if you are writing a kids book. You will end up writing adult stuff.
1. This character is not rounded enough – he needs to come to the fore more.
This was a real problem because all references to the character were in the third person. This character was seen doing different things but that was it.
How could I bring him to the fore?
I let him have interactions with the character telling the story. So, instead of seeing the character in the background, he was suddenly saying something in the foreground.
2. This section needs more interest level.
But I thought it was great. It was an exciting event. The problem with it was that I dealt with it in a boring way. I had an exciting event that I was pre-empting to be solved. I went back through the writing and wrote as if the problem wouldn’t be solved. I also stretched the problem out. I had the main character have extra thoughts. I slowed things down a bit, and the result was great. More detail for exciting events.
Also, the number one rule is that what is happening now, is more interesting than what has just past. So if you are in the middle of a story, and it is lagging, then go back to the drawing board and brainstorm better events.
SHOW don’t tell.
‘Don’t tell me you love me – show me!’
Why – well for two reasons – it makes the text enjoyable. Better to be shown a picture than have someone describe it for you. Better to live a moment in a book than have it told to you.
– it also makes the reader think. Different readers bring to a text their own experiences. As a writer we entertain a reader by letting them use their brains.
There are 4 ways to show, not tell – dialogue, action, metaphor, Stating the facts is not the same as telling. E.g. the weather was bad is telling. It hadn’t stopped raining for two weeks is showing. The readers till has to work out that the weather was bad.
3. You need more humour, but it is a serious book. Well, not all of the book is serious. At any chance where it is not serious, find the topic being discussed, do a brainstorm and search the internet. Then build in a light comic relief. Some of your readers will love it. And how do you include humour? That is another question all unto itself.
4. Tautology – hit this hard. Be careful. E.g. He was standing up. Well, you can’t stand down, so take out the word ‘up’. But now the meaning has changed. He was standing. There is no movement.
5. Ordering. Quite often this is neglected in writing reference books. I find that after I have written something the order of the sentences within the paragraphs can be reordered.
6. Go through the whole story and look at metaphors and similes. If there are any clichés get rid of them.
7. Use your senses. Make sure that every couple of pages a sense is used.
Sight – this is the only sense through which we know there are stars.
Sound – Find something in the room by humming.
Taste –
Touch – use a feely box.
Smell –
6th sense – perception.
8. Use a thesaurus to deepen your language.
9. Use spell checker and language checker and go through the whole document. Most of it will be a waste of time, but even if you just pick up one mistake. It will be worth it. Careful with American spell checkers. Yo might end up putting in errors.
10. Go through the whole document and read it aloud. All of it…and slowly. This should be done a few times.
11. Check names. Try to change names to something to do with the meaning. E.g. Mr. Caine is a murderer. Also, if your character’s name ends in an ‘s’ then it is hard for children to say and read. E.g. Mr. Barnabas’s scissors.
12. Go through and make a note of each event happening on which day/time to make sure that weekends are catered for, and top keep track of time.
13. Realism. This is a BIG one. A few of my books have had extensive work because of this one area. E.g. In zapped there is so much humour created by the character misinterpreting the adults of the world…but is it believable? NO!
14. Change passive to active verbs. “He was looking at the knife” is not as powerful as “He looked at the knife”
15. Whenever going back in time, try not to have something like. “he looked at the cold water and remembered the time he almost drowned in the pool. It had been an overcast night..…. Just take the main character back in time. E.g. He looked at the cold water. It had been an overcast night when he had fallen into the pool…
16. At the two-strand fence around Mr. Caine’s house Tom caught his breath. – it sounds as though the fence caused him to catch his breath. Can be edited to When Tom reached the fence around Mr. Caine’s yard he caught his breath. It might also be edited to, Tom caught his breath when he reached the fence around Mr. Caines house.
17. When editing the narrative drive you need to
Check the beginning of the story – most stories have wastage at the start. Get rid of excesses.
- a) Scene If you pull out a scene will anything be lost. If the loss is only small, then why have the scene.
- b) Paragraph level – same as Scene level.
- c) Sentence level – tautology, specificity, passive voice. Eg. I was grabbing. I grabbed.
18. Some other wonderful things to do to your writing.
– IN a scene, take out all the nouns. Examine them and see if there is a more appropriate noun. I.e. a less cliché’ed word. E.g he looked at the house. It was so small and run down.
Could be changed to ‘He looked at the shack.’ Read you r work aloud and see if it is better.
– Also examine every adjective and adverb. Remove them all and read your work aloud. How does it sound? If some are cliché’d cross them out and try to replace them with less expected words. Replace thema nd read your work aloud. Is it better?
Can the adjective/ adverb be replaced with a better noun or verb, or better adjective or adverb.
e.g. He walked quickly along to his home. He strode home.
– rewrite the first page completely, not using any adjectives or adverbs. Your nouns and verbs must stand on their own. How does it sound now?
19. When you write there are a few times when your work SOUNDS bad.
Poor sentence construction.
Echoes – when you use a persons name again and again, or you use the same word again and again, often without recognising it. (Even if that word is he or she’.) Solve these problems by : Distance from your work is a must. :Get someone else to read your work. : Read your work aloud. : Cutting out words is usually beneficial. : Finally, simplify if you can.
I recommend you read poetry, whenever you can. It will give you a greater respect for words/ sounds/ etc.
20. Try to use metaphors. But be careful. They focus the reader’s attention. They can save so much time describing. But, if the metaphor is wrong it highlights the inadequacies of the writer. Don’t over use them. Also, don’t use clichés e.g. they dropped like flies.
If you are unsure about your metaphors, get an outside reader in.
Activity: Find an object in the room and find 5 metaphors for it.
Now find 5 similes or metaphors for the verb that it is doing.
Now do this activity again for a person. His/her demeanour.
21. Specificity is paramount. Don’t write, ‘ a bird flew overhead’ write, ‘ a Mitchell’s cockatoo beat his way across the sky.’
22. Setting: Often neglected. Can be over described. Sometimes the setting aren’t real. So here are some ideas to fix.
Settings can be brought ot life by little details. .eg. broken pane. Cobwebs. Dust.
Settings can be made alive using the 5 senses.
Settings can be defined by climate.
Settings can be brought to life by having your charcters interacting with the setting. E.g. Mamma placed her hand into the sink and, without turning, asked me to leave.
The best settings are not there by mistake, but to make an impression on the story.
IN a good setting the details are named. E.g. The sun was hidden by the clouds. In a great setting the impression is made. It was the type of day for funerals.
Activity: Train yourself to look for details. In this room find 10 unusual things.
Activity: Using your 10 things write 10 scenes where your unusual item is used in the scene. E.g. the dust on the television causes an asthma attack. The crack in the floor is where the blood is washed.
Activity: If you are unhappy with a scene, then move it to another setting and see the result. Are there new people? Are there hidden messages? What impression is created in this newe setting?
23. A hook is so important. But a truly good writer doesn’t stop at one line. One paragraph. One chapter. A good writer tries to keep it going for the whole book.
The human brain remembers the start and end. So these must be the best parts of your story.
24. Good writing employs use of silence. E.g. “john! I love you.’ Instead of john also saying he loves her he should kiss her. Good writing employs use of understatement. E.g. if you employ actions of high drama and also words of high drama, you are insulting the reader. So instead of I hate you. I hate you too. It should read I hate you. X stared icily and turned away.
25. Characterisation : Not too many characters.
Don’t introduce them all at once.
Choose names carefully and stick to them. Not, mr. J Smith, john, mr smith.
Create characters we care about.
26. Remember to slow down your important events. Describe them in slow motion. Describe them in a lot of detail.
27. Finishing a story is always hard – some ways are :
To bring your character back to the start again. (do a circle)
If you are having trouble, then introduce another character who can help.
Work out a solution to your trouble, then foreshadow the necessary equipment and characters needed for it.